Majority support immigration law but also want changes

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A majority of Alabamians support the state's immigration law, but only 19 percent believe the law needs no changes, according to a recent poll.

Fifty-four percent of respondents said they favor the law and 35 percent said they oppose it, according to the poll by Anzalone Liszt Research, a public opinion and political consulting firm.

However, more than half of voters statewide also believe the immigration law needs changes. Nineteen percent of poll respondents said the law needs no changes and 13 percent believed it should be repealed entirely

John Anzalone, said a respectable majority of Alabamians favor the law, but that percentage has likely narrowed in recent months because of intensive news scrutiny of the law on "things like the crop stories and farmers not being able to harvest."

The poll results did not differentiate what types of changes voters want.

Anzalone likened public opinion on the law to views on federal healthcare reform. People have strong opinions but might not know the specifics of what they want changed.

"They just get a sense," Anzalone said.

Anzalone said significant numbers of both Democrats and Republicans said they favor changes.

"It really defies political party," Anzalone said.

According to the poll:

• Fifty-three percent GOP primary voters believe the law needs changes. Among Tea Party supporters, 49 percent prefer changing the law, with 40 percent wanting to leave it as it is.

• Fifty-eight percent of Democrats and 64 percent of African Americans believe the law should be changed. One-in-four Democrats and 16 percent of African Americans say "the law is not working and should be entirely repealed".

• Sixty percent of independent voters prefer changes.

Legislators are expected to debate revisions to Alabama's immigration law when they return from spring break next month.

"Most Alabamians want a law that cracks down on illegal immigration. Can changes be made to the law to make it work better and make it less burdensome for local governments and businesses? Absolutely," said Todd Stacy, a spokesman for Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard.

"But make no mistake, the law will not be repealed or weakened," Stacy said.

Stacy he believed all polls have shown a majority of voters favor a strong and workable law.